Things to do in the garden this month by Ian Clemens
- Start to prune your Wisteria, climbing roses, vines and fruit trees.
- Leave the faded flower heads on your hydrangeas until the spring, as they will provide frost protection to the swelling buds further down the stems.
- Move containers of shrubs or bedding plants to a sheltered spot; clustering them together helps protect the root systems from suffering frost damage.
- Take hardwood cuttings from suitable trees and shrubs.
- Lift and divide established clumps of rhubarb to renew the plant’s vigour.
- Remove yellowing leaves from your winter brassicas as they are no use to the plant and may harbour pests and diseases. Cover with netting to protect them from pigeons.
- Dig over empty borders and pile manure on top – let the worms and frosts break up the clods of soil.
- Apply glue bands or grease bands to the trunks of fruit trees to prevent wingless female winter moths climbing the trunks and laying their eggs in the branches.
- Plant raspberry canes now whilst they are dormant.
- Plant blueberries for an attractive addition to the fruit garden.
- Wash and sort plant labels, discarding any damaged or brittle ones. Pencil names can be removed with a standard rubber for reuse next season.
- Remove old Hellebore leaves to make the new blooms more visible as they emerge this spring.
- Remove any faded flowers from your winter pansies to stop them setting seed and to prolong flowering.
- Cut back the old foliage from ornamental grasses before growth begins – clip them to within a few centimetres of the ground.
- Plant bare root roses now in a sunny position for spectacular summer colour.
- Harvest parsnips and leeks.
- Start chitting (sprouting) early potatoes – stand them on end in a module tray or egg box and place in a bright cool frost-free place.
- Time to start sowing onion seeds in a propagator, heated green house or window sill, ready for planting out in spring. Pot on into modules or small pots once they are big enough to handle.
- Remove yellowing leaves from your winter brassicas as they are no use to the plant and may harbour pests and diseases.
- Prune blackcurrant bushes, gooseberries and redcurrants to maintain a productive framework. Prunings can be firmed into the ground or potted up to produce more plants. (remember the May plant sale)
- Try forcing rhubarb plants by placing an upturned bucket or bin over the crown. This will force tender pink stems to grow that will be ready in about 8 weeks and have a lovely sweet flavour.
- Plant Amaryllis bulbs in pots now for stunning indoor flowers in early spring.
